It’s political groundhog day, as the issue surrounding Mirror Pond resurfaces in the news. In this month’s version of the story, the Bend City Council has stated that they believe it is Bend Park and Recreation’s responsibility to manage Mirror Pond. One could argue that Mirror Pond—or, as we affectionately refer to it here – […]
Mirror Pond Solutions
Posted inNews
City Says Mirror Pond Should be a Parks Project
Councilors want to max city contributions at $3 million over a 10-year period
It’s been a hot topic since 2002—and even before: When to dredge the silt and buildup from Mirror Pond, and who pays for it. During the May 15 City Council meeting, Mayor Sally Russell asked the other councilors a series of questions, aiming at finding consensus on where the Council stood on Mirror Pond and […]
Posted inNews
A Ballot Measure on Mirror Pond?
Bend man works toward a public vote to block City funds for dredging, with stipulations
What to do with Mirror Pond—the body of water that sits behind the 110-year-old Newport Dam on the Deschutes River—might be one of the most contentious topics for Benditos in recent memory. Many people living near the pond, and some that own businesses that overlook it, want the City of Bend and the Bend Park […]
Posted inOpinion
Letters to the Editor
Mirror Pond I am a simple man who likes to find the simplest solution to a problem by identifying the root issue of the problem and addressing it in the simplest manner, Mirror Pond. Every flowing stream has silt in it that is suspended in the water and flows with it until the water is […]
Posted inOpinion
Letters to the Editor
In Response to, “Powering the Dredge” on 12/13 The so-called “process” referred to by Mr. Fuller reached its culmination during the March 18, 2015, Bend City Council meeting. The crowd overflowed into the lobby, and at least 75 percent of those offering public testimony DISAGREED with the “alternative vision,” which would have used up $5 […]
Posted inNews
Powering the Dredge
The latest proposal to fund Mirror Pond dredging includes increasing franchise fees for Pacific Power
Leaders in Bend are looking at a new way to fund the dredging of Mirror Pond: Increasing franchise fees for the utility that owns Newport Dam. The proposal, which became more of a reality following last week’s meetings with PacifiCorp—which owns Pacific Power—would see the City of Bend contributing $300,000 to dredging, with Bend Park […]
Posted inNews
Who Will Pay to Dredge Mirror Pond?
Private and public partnerships explored as a way to bridge $6.4 million gap in funding
It might look idyllic on its surface, but downtown Bend’s iconic body of water remains embroiled in controversy about dredging the sediment underneath, who should pay for it and when and where its stakeholders can meet about it. After Mirror Pond Solutions—a group formed in 2013 to explore private sector involvement in preserving Mirror Pond—purchased […]
Posted inOpinion
Involve the public in all discussions about dredging Mirror Pond
Wherever you land on the issue of dredging Mirror Pond, some things are certain: Many people have strong opinions about dredging the pond—and those opinions vary widely. When there are varying opinions about a matter that has the potential to affect public budgets, the public should have every opportunity to gather information. Until 2016, there […]
Posted inOpinion
Oh, Dam. It’s Back.
Deschutes River dredgers want your taxes
Like us, you’ve probably grown tired of the endless history lessons surrounding the bend in the Deschutes River affectionately known as “Mirror Pond.” The Pacific Power “dam,” which has created an abnormal and unhealthy part of the river now full of silt, continues to attract the attention of folks who put the idea of a […]
Posted inNews
Stuck in the Muck
Mirror Pond’s owners ask DEQ to step in against the city
A local investor group, Mirror Pond Solutions, is calling for the City of Bend to take more action to address the problem of sediment buildup in Mirror Pond. The City of Bend is calling into question the methods by which that group is basing its claims. On July 29, Jason Conger, attorney for Mirror Pond […]